International Journal of Computer Applications (0975 – 8887)
Volume 86 – No 19, January 2014
24
Location Management System based RFID and Google
Earth API
Basheera M. Mohmmod Computer Engineering Dept.
College of Engineering University of Baghdad
Sadiq H. Abdulhussain Computer Engineering Dept.
College of Engineering University of Baghdad
Akeel A. Mohammed Electronic and Communication
Engineering Department. College of Engineering University of Baghdad
ABSTRACT Recently many applications need location management
systems in their work to determine the location of humans and
objects. The work in this paper is going to make a
combination between two technologies; Radio Frequency
Identification (RFID) technology and computer systems
technology with the using of Google earth API. In this paper
the movement of persons and objects can be detected through
using RFID system and Google earth API then the
information of these persons or objects such as place and time
are recorded in a database to be used another time in specific
applications. This system can be used in many different places
such as tracing and tracking the movement of persons in
colleges, hospitals, banks and other places, therefore, it is
consider a useful system in determining the location of
objects, tracing, tracking, making security and other
applications.
Keywords
Location Management System Based RFID and Google Earth
API.
1. INTRODUCTION The 18th century was the epoch of Industrial Revolution and
great mechanical systems, the 19th century was considered as
the era of steam engine, and the 20th century witnessed the
appearance of the important technology of information
gathering, processing, and distribution [1]. As a result of the
increasing complexity, and modernization of life, it is
necessary to develop and enhance the life styles in all of its
branches. Many branches appear to fulfill the demands of
modernizing and digitizing like the Information and
Communication Technology (ICT), distributed system,
networking, automated system and automatic identification
technology [2]. Auto-ID technology grows to be very
accepted in various branches of life. There are many types of
these technologies like RFID (Radio Frequency
Identification), barcode system, optical character recognition,
smart cards, voice identification and finger print procedure as
shown in Figure 1. The Auto-ID can track enterprise worldly
goods and the movement of persons, products, vehicles and
other assets across big geographic areas.
RFID considers one of the most greatest and important
technologies in the recent years. A combination between
RFID technology, computer systems and some programs
(such as Google Earth API) will provide necessary storage
and computing capabilities as standardized services over wide
application areas
2. RFID TECHNOLOGY RFID is an electronic and wireless sensor technology which is
based on the detection of electromagnetic signals. RFID is a
very important technology and business tool that has come of
age, and holds the promise of replacing existing identification
technologies like the barcode and becomes king of the hill [3]
2.1 History of RFID The roots of RFID technology can be traced back to World
War II as it's generally said [4].
2.2 What is RFID RFID refers to small electronic devices that consist of a small
chip and an antenna. This system uses tags attached to the
objects to be identified. Interrogators or readers send a signal
to the tag and read its response [5]. The readers in turn
transmit the received data to a computer system running RFID
software to manage it.
2.3 Components of RFID RFID System components can be classified into two types:
Hardware components.
Software components.
Hardware components: There are three part of RFID
hardware components that can be divided as follows [5]:
1- The Tag: The first part of RFID system is the tag which is a microchip
joint with an antenna; it contains the identification number.
The packaging structured of RFID tag enables it to be
attached to an object to be tracked [3]. Some types of RFID
Tag are shown in the Figure 2.
2- RFID Reader: The second part of RFID system is the reader which is also
called interrogator. It is a device that gathers information from
tags and sends data to the host computers which have the
software application. The reader has an antenna that emits radio waves. Figure 3 shows a specific circuit of RFID Reader.
3- The antenna:
The antenna of the reader used for communication between
the reader and the tag. It is physically attached to the reader at
one of its antenna ports by a cable [3]. It is determining the
coverage zone, range and accuracy of communication. For
example, a linear reader antenna offers a higher range than a
circular reader antenna. The size and shape of the antenna
typically determines the limits of the dimensions of the entire
tag packaging.
The Software components:
The software components of RFID system are composed of
the following three main parts [5]:
1- RFID middleware:
It is a group of software that acts as a bridge between RFID
system components and host applications.
International Journal of Computer Applications (0975 – 8887)
Volume 86 – No 19, January 2014
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2- RFID system software: This collection is a set of software necessary to make the
basic interaction between tag and reader.
3- Host application: It is an earlier presented software program in an enterprise,
such as a warehouse management system and an inventory
control system. It takes the data from a reader via RFID
middleware to process and handle.
3. GOOGLE EARTH Google Earth is a virtual map, globe and geographical
information program and it is enable scientists around the
world to data communicate and findings in an intuitive three-
dimensional (3D) global that was originally called Earth
Viewer 3D [6]. Virtual globes are low cost and easy to use in
data collection, exploration and visualization It maps the
Earth by the superimposition of images taken from satellite
imagery [6].
Google Earth makes us travel through a virtual globe and
view satellite imagery,3D buildings, terrain, maps. The
options within Google Earth are endless, such as discover the
earth, jump in the ocean, visit moon and mars, , explore the
sky, create custom image and hikes on handheld GPS devices
[7]. Google Earth are adopting in the classroom by teachers
for lesson planning, like teaching geographical themes [7].
3.1 Coordinate System and Projection A geographic coordinate system (GCS) defines locations on
the earth using a three-dimensional spherical surface. Every
location on the Earth can be specified by a set of numbers
using GCS [ 8]
3.1.1 Latitude: It is an imaginary circle they are total 180. In the spherical
system, ‘horizontal’ or east–west lines are lines of equal
latitude or parallels i.e. the lines joining points of the same
latitude trace circles on the surface of Earth [8].
3.1.2 KML File: All information and coordinates which Google Earth deal with
it they are created in KML file using JavaScript and iFrames.
KML is standard for Keyhole Markup Language .
KML is used to display geographic data in an Earth browser
such as Google Earth and Google Maps, it is a file format. It
uses a tag-based structure with nested elements and attributes,
i.e. these files are XML-based scripting files; require the use
of an extremely verbose tag-based language [9].
KML fields:
KML uses common XML types such as string, Boolean,
double, integer, and float. Besides, it defines types of field
element [10].
4. SYSTEM DESIGN AND WORK The design of the system consists of a combination between
hardware and software connected as in the block diagram
shown in Figure 4.The first part of the system work depends
on the work of the RFID, which is an electronic device
consists of RFID reader, antenna and tag. The RFID reader
reads the tag number (ID associated to a individual person)
when the tag being in the coverage zone of the reader antenna,
then RFID reader sends this information to the computer (PC),
the software program in the computer takes this information
then updates it’s Database and sends the (longitude/ latitude)
to the Google Earth program. When Google Earth receives
(longitude/ latitude) it finds the person location then displays
that location on the screen of the that computer . The
flowchart for the system software as shown in Figure 5 .
5. THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE
SYSTEM The implementation of the system is done as discussed in the
sections below:
5.1 TTL to RS232 converter The output voltage level from RFID is the TTL level but the
pc is used the RS232 voltage level. For the above reason we
must use the TTL to RS232 Converter.
5.2 The implementation of the converter
circuit from TTL to RS232 level At this implementation the IC MAX232 and a serial
connector (known as DB9 connector) will be used as shown in
the Figure 6.
5.3 TTL to serial USB used in the
implementation For simplification, the implementation of this system is done
by using a TTL to Serial USB connector. This item is a
RS232 to TTL converter IC with connectors. It allows any
TTL level UART to connect to the standard RS232 levels of a
serial port through USB port [11].
It can be powered from 3V to 5.5V and meets ElA/TIA-232
and V.28/V.24 specifications, even at VCC = 3V [11].
5.4 RFID used in the implementation of the
system In this system low frequency RFID with 125 KHz is used. It is
can provide a distance about 50 millimeters.
The Specification and Parameter of this type of RFID is
shown in Table 1.
5.5 The programming languages used in
the system: To complete implementation of this system we use the
Following programming language:
5.5.1 Visual basic: It is the main language used in this system. It is join the
implementation of the hardware with the software. ( include
all the programming languages used in this system) and
display the result in GUI form.
5.5.2 Database: This system need a Database system to store, update
information, etc we use Microsoft office access .
5.5.3 Java script : We use java script language to manage Google earth API Also
to control and change the setting of required features and how
to display it.
5.5.4 Google Earth API : Google Earth API standard for Google earth application
programming interface.
The Google Earth applications can be embedded into web
pages by using Google Earth API with JavaScript code. With
this API plug in installed, the applications can work
interactively in web browsers [6]. Developers who create web
pages with the Google Earth API need to get a Google Maps
key to specify in the code for these pages. The also need to
International Journal of Computer Applications (0975 – 8887)
Volume 86 – No 19, January 2014
26
write JavaScript code to implement the Google Earth API
applications in the web pages. In order to run the applications
in browsers, developers and end users need to install the
Google Earth plugin. The API can display lines, placemarks,
overlays, polygons, and 3D models on the imagery [6].
5.6 System Hardware Implementation The system was implemented and all component of the
system were connected, and then tested inside the University
of Baghdad. The implementation is as shown in the Figure 7.
We put the RFID Reader in the intended location and give to
the person (students or lecturers or staff ) the RFID Tag . The
working steps of the system are defined as follows:
1- Display the location of the current/dedicated person
When the person who carries the Tag move in the location
which contained the RFID Reader its position will be
displayed as shown in Figure 8.
2-So the Data Base will be update in the same time In addition to display the position of the current person, the
exact time and date of person’s existence in that position and
other information of this person will be recorded in the data
base. As shown in the Figure 9.
3- Adding information for unknown Tag:
When there is new Tag (in this case there is no information
yet), it’s position will be displayed and the new record will be
inserted in the Data Base also the administrator can define this
new unknown Tag by enter it’s information. This explain in
the following Figure10 and Figure 11 ,this unknown Tag
because there is no information, we can add information by
click this button and the window will be appear as shown in
Figure 11.
4- Searching for any person and show the information
dedicated to him\her:
We can show the information about any person we need, take
care that the person must have Tag ID and an information
recorded in the Data Base . As shown in the Figure 12.
6. CONCLUSION This system has multiple features since it is consider a
location management system because it has the ability to
provide the accessibility of any person or object has tag ID
that make the operation of tracing simple by finding the first
and last place of that person or object. Also this system has
the ability for searching for any person/object and adding
information to unknown tag. From the other side, this system
enhances the security of the locations specially the
governmental locations like Universities, Banks , Offices, etc.
because it gives information about the person movement to
this places.
Fig 1: Types of Auto-ID Technology [5]
Fig 2: Some Types of RFID Tag.
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Fig 3: RFID Reader
Fig 4: Block Diagram of the System
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Fig 5: Flowchart of the System
International Journal of Computer Applications (0975 – 8887)
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Fig 6: TTL to RS232 converter
Table 1: Specification of low frequency RFID with 125 KHz [12]
Frequency 125KHz
Baud Rate 9600(TTL Electricity Level RS232 format
Interface Weigang26 Or TTL Electricity Level RS232 format
Power supply DC 5V(+5%)
Current < 50Ma
Operating
Range >50mm(Depend on Card/Tag shape, manufacturer)
Expand I/O
port
N/A
Indication
Light
N/A
Working temperature -10 cO ~ +70 cO
Storage temperature -20 cO ~ +80 cO
Max. humidity Relative humidity 0 ~ 95%
Size 38.5mm×19mm×9mm
Fig 7: Implementation of the System
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Fig 8: GUI of Display the location of the object
Fig 9: GUI of the Data Base
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Fig10: GUI for unknown Tag
Fig 11: GUI of adding information for new Tag
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Fig 12: GUI of searching information for any person
7. REFERENCES [1] Tanenbaum A.S., "Computer Networks", Fourth Edition,
Prentice Hall, 2003.
[2] Roberti M. "The History of RFID Technology", RFID
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[3] Sweeney P. J.,"RFID for Dummies", First Edition, Wiley
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[4] Al-Tameemi Z. F. A., "Design and Implementation of a
Scalable Automated RFID based Attendance System
with Scheduling Technique", M.Sc. Thesis, School of
Electrical and Electronic Engineering, University of
Science Malaysia, 2011.
[5] Mahmood B. M., " CONSTRUCTION OF AN
INFRASTRUCTURE FOR RFID SYSTEM", M.Sc.
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[6] YU L., GONG P., " Google Earth As A Virtual Globe
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[7] Schultz R. B. , Kerski J. J. , and Patterson T. C., " The
Use of Virtual Globes as a Spatial Teaching Tool with
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Geography, 107:27-34, 2008.
[8] Kennedy M., "Understanding Map Projections",
Environmental Systems Research Institute, 2000.
[9] Abdulrahman F.H., " Using KML files as encoding
standard to explore locations, access and display data in
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Ohio State University, 2008.
[10] Santhatam A., "Bike And Running Trails On Android
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[11] Vladimir Y., "RS-232 Recommended Standard Interface
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[12] Data Sheet, "RDM630 Specification",
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125khz-rfid-module-uart.aspx.
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